A mouse device is an important bridge between a computer system and a user. In addition to the basic functions of controlling cursor movement, the mouse device is developed to execute extended functions.
For example, by rotating a scroll wheel of the mouse device forwardly or backwardly, a specified control signal is generated to control the vertical scroll movement of web pages. In addition to the vertical scroll movement, it is important to achieve the horizontal scroll movement. Since the texts or graphs shown in the graphic-based window of the display screen usually fail to be fully browsed, the horizontal scroll movement is required to move the web page or document in the left or right direction so as to display the desired image. Since the scroll wheel assembly of a conventional mouse device permits for single axial rotation, the image shown on the screen of the computer system may be vertically scrolled. For horizontally moving the web page or document shown on the screen by operating the scroll wheel, the left click button of the mouse device should be continuously pressed down and tilted in the horizontal direction. Since the single axial rotation of the mouse device is unsatisfactory for horizontal scroll movement, a tilt wheel assembly is developed for controlling horizontal scroll movement of the image shown on the computer screen.
Referring to FIG. 1, a schematic perspective view of a conventional tilt wheel type mouse is illustrated. The tilt wheel type mouse 1 includes a tilt wheel assembly 11. The tilt wheel assembly 11 can be rotated in a first axial direction 12 such that the image shown on the computer screen moves upwardly or downwardly (i.e. in the vertical direction). Moreover, the tilt wheel assembly 11 can be rotated in a second axial direction 13 such that the image shown on the computer screen moves leftwards or rightwards (i.e. in the horizontal direction). The arrangement of the tilt wheel assembly 11 is convenient for browsing documents or web pages.
As previously described, the tilt wheel assembly 11 of the tilt wheel type mouse 1 can be rotated upwardly and downwardly in the first axial direction 12, tilted toward the left or right side in the second axial direction 13. In addition, the tilt wheel assembly 11 can be pressed down to execute a corresponding function. In other words, the typical tilt wheel type mouse is capable of executing five functions. Nowadays, the tilt wheel type mouse with five functions is not satisfied to meet the users' requirements. For expanding the functions of the tilt wheel type mouse, an additional hot key is mounted on the housing of the mouse. For integrating the hot key into the housing, a new mold of the housing should be design and made. The process of designing and making the new mold of the housing increasing the cost of the mouse. The housing having the additional hot key is not aesthetically pleasing.
Therefore, there is a need of providing a wheel mouse with multi-functions and low cost so as to obviate the drawbacks encountered from the prior art.